The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-01-20
THE BASILISK.
A STORY OF TO-DAY.
CHAPTER XVIII.

Plowitz evidently imagined that
Mary had struck him to the ground.
II was equally evident that he bore her
no sort Of ill-will for the blow. This
absence Of petty resentment was not at
al reassuring to me. Il was rather
terrible. There was in it q sort Of
calm determination. He had marked
the quarry for his own, and was rather
inclined to admire her for showing
fight than to be angry with her for re-
sisting him.
Ny own chief object now must be. l
saw, in all things to avoid suspicion, and
1t the first opportunity to open COM
munications with Mary Fortescue.
Luckily, ! was in possession Of the
secret Of the approach to the concealed
entrance. The fact that there was :
means Of exit by way Of the back stair
case, showed that the other way was
designed for facilities Of fight or con-
cealment, rather than that, as l first
imagined, the rooms themselves were
hidden. Still, there was sufficient
cause for alarm in the fact that they
had obviously wished to deceive me -
to Mary's movements, presumably
from suspicion that l was
prepared to take her part as far as I
could. That they should deliberately
state that she had set out for Pyrmont
1t the very time that she was kept out
Of the way in their own house, and
subject to the odious attentions of one
for whom she expressed perfect alb
horrence, was enough to determine me
to use every effort to counteract
their designs.
As we sat at dinner, and observed
the strange expression OF puzzled
amusement on Plowitz's face, and the
mark on temple and cheek which re-
suited from his fall-for it was the
accident of hitting his head againstthe
wall rather than the direct violence OF
nv blow which had reduced him t,
temporary insensibility-I longed to
tell him of what knew. and to have It
out with him, man to man. But this
was qualification which must be de-
ferred.
II do hope Mary will have a good
passage said Miss Beaufoy. when We
were seated at dinner. ..She is such
bad sailor"
1T is . very calm night said Mr..
Beaufoy, .and the glass has been
standing high for some days now.
They are very good boats. SAID
Plowitz, joining in tie little concert OF
mendacity. "And it is aperfectly COM
Portable passage from Harwich.
/ felt quite delighted at the sense OF
hidden power which I possessed. not
only in being able to study their ex-
pressions, but to have discovered by
accident their falsehood, and the where
abouts of their quasi-captive.
After dinner Miss Beaufoy invited
me to play for her in the drawing-room.
turned the conversation again to
the subject which was uppermost IN my
thoughts.
Il fear Miss Fortescue will find it
dull being away among strangers! !
began.
sThey are not strangers to her; and.
at any rate. they are the relations OF
her affianced husband"
..Are you sure that this is . match
which viii make her happy" l asked.
The Basilisk laughed at me, very
unusual course, with one of her calm
and digni6ed manner.
why shouldn't itp" she asked.
Il mean, do you think she really
wishes to marry DR.. PlowitzP"
1.-The best answer to that is" she re-
piled rather icily, why should she
consent, otherwisep"
..She gave me the impression of be-
ing subdued. and very easily Influenced
by pressure, especially by unkindness. !"
Il don't think you are much OF q
Judge Of character, Mr.. Coplestone.
Mary has very strong win Of her
own" Here she laughed, as Il in
afectionate remembrance of little pas
sages Of arms, in which she had not
come of victorious. ..And DR.. Plowitz
is not at all likely to be unkind to her,
or to anyone. He has given evidence
of wonderful self-control and good
nature only to-day"
pardon my asking it, but do you
think, for instance, that this journey to
Germany was quite to her tastep'
do you know, Mr.. Coplestone, that
this sounds rather as If stranger were
lnterferingin family affairs, and talking
about what he cannot possibly under
standp''
Mot at all, believe me. l naturally
take m interest," great interest-in
Miss Fortescue. But not seldom q
stranger observes things that nearer
relations overlook, and you must re-
member that have had good oppor-
tunities of learning something Of her
character and tastes"
..And you must remember that Miss
Fortescue is engaged to our friend, DIR.
Plowitz; that she is my cousin and old
est friend, and that you have got some
strange fancies into your head which
would be more ineligible if you were
in the habit of reading silly romances. =
Pardon me If have taken q lib
erty." said.
what you have said is easily par
doned," she replied sweetly, land par
don me for speaking Of you as a
stranger, for you have ceased to be that
long ago. Mary will come back. no
doubt, much the better for her trip.
and is now, no doubt, happy enough
in the change and excitement Of
travelling"
played few notes on tho piano in
the silence .Eat followed this closing
speech. aamiringin way the beautiful
Sapphire who was rolling of these
melodious mendacities SO near me-
when noise of a slamming door anG
hurried footsteps reached my ear. A
sudden look Of anger and alarm cam,
into Miss Beaufoy's face. The nois,
came nearer, and suddenly in the door
way appeared the form of Mary. Mis-
Beaufoy started up; Mary was about t
speak; the first sound of articulation
was audible, when Mrs. Hardy, VIII,
was evidently in pursuit, threw |